EU Statement – UN International Migration Review Forum: General Debate

It’s an honour to address you 

In the hall of the General Assembly

On behalf of the European Commission. 

Let me start by congratulating the Co-facilitators of the political declaration, Luxembourg and Bangladesh.

Migration is normal, migration is natural.

It has always existed and it will always exist. 

And Europe needs migration. We’re an ageing society with a shrinking work-force. 

Every year, 3 million people get a residence permit in the European Union.

Nearly 24 million third country nationals live in the EU. 

And many many more with a migrant background. 

They are part of “us”

But we need to manage migration and we can only do that together to ensure safe and regular migration. 

That’s why the EU works closely with the United Nations. With our neighbours and with our partners. 

Our goal is to move away from irregular migration and towards regular migration. 

That’s at the core of the Pact on Migration and Asylum that we presented in 2020. 

A Pact fully in line with the Global Compact. 

The Compact provides a unique, common comprehensive framework to manage migration sustainably, in line with human rights, centred on people. 

It allows us to reaffirm our commitment to multilateralism, recognising the need to manage migration together within the UN system. 

We are building tailor made migration partnerships. 

With countries of origin, transit and destination. 

To fight the smugglers. TO fight the traffickers, that are putting peoples lives in danger. That are leaving women, children and men with life long traumas. 

To decrease irregular migration also by stepping up returns.

Paving the way for safe, orderly and regular migration, including by launching Talent Partnerships with key third countries.

To provide opportunities at home, especially jobs for young people.

Supporting partners to build capacity on migration.

Welcoming those in need of international protection. 

EU Member States are granting asylum to around 200,000 people every year.

Recently EU Member States have evacuated a high number of people from Afghanistan and committed to welcome refugees through resettlement and humanitarian admission.

And we support partners hosting refugees in their communities.

And ten percent of our cooperation funding goes to migration related support. 

To contribute together towards the Sustainable Development Goals.

But today we face a great refugee challenge caused by Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified war against Ukraine.

In the European Union we have opened our arms to nearly 6 million refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine, in less than three months.

We are giving them immediate protection. By activating the Temporary Protection Directive. For the first and only time in twenty years. Giving immediate access to jobs, healthcare, housing and schools for the children.

We are now hosting millions of people. Including third country nationals that have fled the war. And almost half of them are children.

So in this spirit of solidarity, which is the spirit of the Global Compact. 

Let us continue making progress in this important work 

To manage migration together.

Thank you.